Well folks, we made it. 2012 has come. There were rumors that the world was going to end on May 21st, 2011. But it didn’t. So that’s cool.

I don’t know about yall, but I’m really fucking excited to see what 2012 brings for music lovers such as you and me. This month, I’m going to be keeping my eye on three artists who I believe are only scratching the surface with their talent right now. These artists are going to be big. Quote me. It’s happened with artists we’ve chosen in the past (some include Fitz & The Tantrums, The Tallest Man on Earth, Yelawolf, Tennis, Childish Gambino, Odd Future, Cults, Youth Lagoon and more)

I consistently have to apologize for Artists on the Dashboard being an irregular feature, but this month there are three that I just couldn’t stand not to write about. As blogs start compiling their bests of the year lists, many of the big stars are put in the spotlight, but I want to be sure that some of the smaller artists get shouted out, too. You will likely see one of these artists on several blogs’ Best Albums of 2011 lists, and he absolutely deserves it. This month, we’ve got three solo artists who are deserving of your attention and are about to hit the big screens, in my opinion. The three artists of choice this month are Skizzy Mars, Youth Lagoon, and Luck-One.

It’s been a few months since I’ve done an Artists on the Dashboard, which gives me so much more motivation to keep moving on these, because the list of artists about to break out into the limelight is robust. It’s bursting at the seams. This is an exciting time for a lot of the artists that I’ve been following for a while now, and it’s an exciting time for artists I’ve never heard of who I believe have the ability to make it in the very near future. The three artists of choice this month are Theophilus London, Cults, and Lyn Charles. Hit the jump for descriptions and MP3 samples from each artist on the dashboard.

As a music blogger, I feel that it is my duty to keep all of you aware of the up-and-coming artists in the industry. The list of rising stars, the up-at-bats, the talent on deck, if you will. So started the monthly feature on Sunset in the Rearview called Artists on the Dashboard, which shines light on three artists to keep on your radar for the month; artists who have shown the talent, the drive, and the willpower to be a star. Keep your eye out for these features, and next thing you know, your friend will be telling you about this amazing new artist, and you’ll be able to say, ‘Dude…I knew about them almost a year ago.’ No more worrying about taking the time to seem cool, we’ll do all of the work for you. Check back every month to see which three artists made the cut.

2011 has been churning out some killer artists. I’ve been posting a lot of hip hop music, because that genre is really throwing some curveballs my way. Two curveballs are included in this episode of Artists on the Dashboard. All together, this month I present to you Childish Gambino, J Roddy Walston and the Business, and Odd Future (aka OFWGKTA).

As a music blogger, I feel that it is my duty to keep all of you aware of the up-and-coming artists in the industry. The list of rising stars, the up-at-bats, the talent on deck, if you will. So started the monthly feature on Sunset in the Rearview called Artists on the Dashboard, which shines light on three artists to keep on your radar for the month; artists who have shown the talent, the drive, and the willpower to be a star. Keep your eye out for these features, and next thing you know, your friend will be telling you about this amazing new artist, and you’ll be able to say, ‘Dude…I knew about them almost a year ago.’ No more worrying about taking the time to seem cool, we’ll do all of the work for you. Just be sure to check back every month to see which three artists made the cut.

So I didn’t make one of these for January because I had all those other lists, and I didn’t want to overdo it. I probably still overdid it. But hey, I’m back with more, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Anyway, I’m really excited about the music coming our way this year. This month, three particular artists/groups I’m going to keep on my radar include Tennis, Yelawolf, and Cloud Nothings.

As a music blogger, I feel that it is my duty to keep all of you aware of the up-and-coming artists in the industry. The list of rising stars, the up-at-bats, the talent on deck, if you will. So started the monthly feature on Sunset in the Rearview called Artists on the Dashboard, which shines light on three artists to keep on your radar; artists who have shown the talent, the drive, and the willpower to be a star. Keep your eye out for these features, and next thing you know, your friend will be telling you about this amazing new artist, and you’ll be able to say, ‘Dude…I knew about them almost a year ago.’ No more worrying about having to take the time to seem cool, we’ll do all of the work for you. Just be sure to check back every month to see which three artists made the cut.

Another month, and a lot of talent to sort through. Here are the three deserving of the title ‘Artists On The Dashboard’ for this month: Fitz & The Tantrums, Thee Tom Hardy, and The Tallest Man on Earth.

As a music blogger, I feel that it is my duty to keep all of you aware of the up-and-coming artists in the industry. The list of rising stars, the up-at-bats, the talent on deck, if you will. I am going to start a monthly feature on Sunset in the Rearview called Artists on the Dashboard that shines light on three artists to keep on your radar; artists who have shown the talent, the drive, and the willpower to be a star. Keep your eye out for these features, and next thing you know, your friend will be telling you about this amazing new artist, and you’ll be able to say, ‘Dude…I knew about them almost a year ago.’ No more worrying about having to take the time to seem cool, we’ll do all of the work for you. Just be sure to check back every month to see which three artists made the cut.

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This month presents a diverse array of artists on the dashboard. Though some may seem to already be established, to others who tend to stick to their radios and iTunes Top 40 lists, these names may not yet ring a bell. On the dashboard this month are First Aid Kit, J. Cole, and Menomena.